Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Zakho Cost of Living Comparison Between Basra and Zakho

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $728 in Basra versus $890 in Zakho.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,366 in Basra versus $1,364 in Zakho.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,003 in Basra versus $1,839 in Zakho.

Living in Basra costs roughly 18% less than in Zakho, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 45% lower, Zakho 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 IQD 4,974

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

-51.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.38 IQD 31.9K

$23.31 IQD 30.5K

4.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 IQD 9,289

$8.61 IQD 11.3K

-17.65%

Cappuccino

$2.04 IQD 2,675

$3.09 IQD 4,043

-33.98%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 IQD 609

$0.52 IQD 677

-9.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 454

$0.20 IQD 262

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 IQD 5,038

$2.01 IQD 2,636

91.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 IQD 3,382

$2.16 IQD 2,825

19.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 IQD 1,551

$1.34 IQD 1,750

-11.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 917

$0.79 IQD 1,040

-11.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 IQD 1,857

$1.86 IQD 2,432

-23.66%

Eggs

$1.85 IQD 2,428

$1.90 IQD 2,491

-2.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.27 IQD 10.8K

$7.42 IQD 9,721

11.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.97 IQD 9,131

$4.73 IQD 6,199

47.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 IQD 17.5K

$13.98 IQD 18.3K

-4.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,382

$1.14 IQD 1,487

-7.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 IQD 1,776

$1.18 IQD 1,551

15.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,363

$1.13 IQD 1,479

-7.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 769

$0.82 IQD 1,068

-28.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 872

$0.66 IQD 860

1.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 IQD 737

$0.71 IQD 933

-21.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 IQD 1,044

$0.74 IQD 967

8.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 IQD 548

$0.53 IQD 692

-20.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,479

$2.73 IQD 3,569

-30.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.87 IQD 16.8K

$12.23 IQD 16.0K

5.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.15 IQD 4,125

$1.38 IQD 1,807

128.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 IQD 5,155

$2.03 IQD 2,661

94.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 511

$0.36 IQD 473

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.72 IQD 29.7K

$30.67 IQD 40.2K

-25.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 IQD 3,025

$2.27 IQD 2,976

1.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.31 IQD 3,028

$2.22 IQD 2,912

4.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.80 IQD 8,900

$6.98 IQD 9,142

-2.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 766

$0.70 IQD 919

-17.14%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$13.5K IQD 17.7M

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

-28.83%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.1K IQD 30.3M

$20.9K IQD 27.3M

10.80%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

$101 IQD 131.6K

-43.74%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$25.64 IQD 33.6K

$17.58 IQD 23.0K

45.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.70 IQD 49.4K

$30.20 IQD 39.5K

24.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.14 IQD 47.3K

$36.33 IQD 47.6K

-0.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.55 IQD 20.4K

$17.06 IQD 22.3K

-8.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

$11.42 IQD 15.0K

-32.49%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$95.4 IQD 124.9K

$267 IQD 349.6K

-64.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,754 IQD 4.9M

$3,247 IQD 4.3M

15.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.53 IQD 54.4K

$32.29 IQD 42.3K

28.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.02 IQD 26.2K

$48.66 IQD 63.7K

-58.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 IQD 93.8K

$83.9 IQD 109.9K

-14.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.57 IQD 54.4K

$78.6 IQD 102.9K

-47.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 IQD 593.2K

$238 IQD 311.3K

90.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$132 IQD 172.4K

$181 IQD 236.8K

-27.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$902 IQD 1.2M

$576 IQD 753.6K

56.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 IQD 857.9K

$342 IQD 447.6K

91.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,567 IQD 2.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$795 IQD 1.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$761 IQD 996.3K

$663 IQD 867.7K

14.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Basra: July 26, 2026

Last update for Zakho: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $453 in Basra and $238 in Zakho. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Basra vs $23.00 in Zakho for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $194 per month, with Zakho cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Basra vs Zakho: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basra and Zakho differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($728 vs $890 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 15% higher in Basra, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $453 in Basra versus $238 in Zakho. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Zakho pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Basra – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $23.00 in Zakho. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $728 in Basra versus $890 in Zakho, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Zakho. The gap between the two cities makes Basra the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Basra and Zakho are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Basra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Zakho. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.